Does Web porn help prevent rape?

[Pure]

One researcher says there is evidence of a reduction in rape where the young males have access to web porn. What are your hunches in the matter? Effect or not?


How the Web Prevents Rape
All that Internet porn reduces sex crimes. Really.

By Steven E. Landsburg
Posted Monday, Oct. 30, 2006, at 2:22 PM ET

Does pornography breed rape? Do violent movies breed violent crime? Quite the opposite, it seems.

First, porn. What happens when more people view more of it? The rise of the Internet offers a gigantic natural experiment. Better yet, because Internet usage caught on at different times in different states, it offers 50 natural experiments.

The bottom line on these experiments is, "More Net access, less rape." A 10 percent increase in Net access yields about a 7.3 percent decrease in reported rapes. States that adopted the Internet quickly saw the biggest declines. And, according to Clemson professor Todd Kendall, the effects remain even after you control for all of the obvious confounding variables, such as alcohol consumption, police presence, poverty and unemployment rates, population density, and so forth.


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OK, so we can at least tentatively conclude that Net access reduces rape. But that's a far cry from proving that porn access reduces rape. Maybe rape is down because the rapists are all indoors reading Slate or vandalizing Wikipedia. But professor Kendall points out that there is no similar effect of Internet access on homicide. It's hard to see how Wikipedia can deter rape without deterring other violent crimes at the same time. On the other hand, it's easy to imagine how porn might serve as a substitute for rape.

If not Wikipedia, then what? Maybe rape is down because former rapists have found their true loves on Match.com. But professor Kendall points out that the effects are strongest among 15-year-old to 19-year-old perpetrators—the group least likely to use such dating services.

Moreover, professor Kendall argues that those teenagers are precisely the group that (presumably) relies most heavily on the Internet for access to porn. When you're living with your parents, it's a lot easier to close your browser in a hurry than to hide a stash of magazines. So, the auxiliary evidence is all consistent with the hypothesis that Net access reduces rape because Net access makes it easy to find porn.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Interesting premise - I remember in the 80s, when Andrea Dworkin was all the rage (heh) in feminist circles, going around the country trying to outlaw porn shops. Her contention was that porn amounts to a violation of women's civil rights. I don't recall if she actually had much serious support for her theses, though - at least outside of radical feminist academia. Male-female sex, as far as she was ocncerned, was an inherently violent act.

I suspect that like most changes brought about by the Internet, it's more of a give and take. Perhaps the Internet allows borderline violent people to do their stalking in cyberspace, committing cyber-violence. On the whole, I guess that's better than rape, but it's still what I would call a pathology. Further, that effect could be mostly unrelated to porn. I don't thnk rape is considered a sexual outlet, really - isn't it violence? On the downside, the wider distribution of porn might also contribute to unrealistic expectations of sexual relationships, on the part of both sexes.

It doesn't surprise me that the Internet would not have any effect on homicide rates. The Internet really doesn't provide any analogue for that sort of violent crime. Most homicides are crimes of passion, done in the heat of the moment without a whole lot of forethought - people go nuts, there's a gun in the house, and someone winds up dead. Either that, or they are related to other crimes, like drug dealing or robbery. The psychological killers, while they make for good stories and movies, are few and far between.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

You hear about cases where teen murder their friends after playing some game on their XBOX and so on. Does internet porn have the same effect? I doubt it.

But I have a suspicion this is a premis that will get kicked around for a while going for study to study, one saying yes, another saying no. In the end, the dumb-ass mothers of America will win out and blame every rape in the world on porn. All the money that will have been spent studying the question will be wasted to "PROVE" the foregone conclusion of the unwashed teen+ mothers of America.

It's a waste of time.

 

[S-Des]

Japan (along with most nations) has much less restrictive attitudes about porn than America. The quasi-violent rape fantasy videos are common there (completely legal and mostly accepted). My favorite Japanese actress just retired from porn (both straight and rape) and is now a TV newswoman (could you imagine that happening here?). Their rates of rape are far below ours (although some people think the women just are afraid to report it).

I believe the study has merit. At the same time, access to violent fantasies (both written and filmed) could push someone obsessed with them over the edge. In the end, I expect that it will help provide an outlet for people with a conscience who have messed up heads. Those with less of a conscience (or kids exposed to it at a very young age who can't handle it) will be provoked by it.

It might improve the crime rate slightly, but not enough to make people sing the virtues of porn (especially the more taboo stuff). Then again,we'll never know. People's minds are far too made up (just read some of the threads about taboo sex that have been posted here and the negative reaction many AHers have to them). It will always remain a contested issue, no mattter what the studies tell us.

 

[Weird Harold]

OK, so we can at least tentatively conclude that Net access reduces rape. But that's a far cry from proving that porn access reduces rape. Maybe rape is down because the rapists are all indoors reading Slate or vandalizing Wikipedia.

I think it is probably more Net-Access than Porn-Access but judging by what's available on sites with fewer restrictions than Lit, there is a lot of sublimating of urges in amateur porn stories -- people are writing out their fantasies instead of acting them out.

However, I think the effect is more the result of misfits finding that they aren't "alone" in the world; almost any kink can find a kindred spirit that they can "talk" to without embarassment or fear of being "Outed." That seems a small thing, but it provides an "escape valve" for many of the pressures that lead to the more violent kinds of rape.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

You are all forgetting that rape has nothing to do with sex! Rape is not about sex, it's about control. The sexual gratification comes (no pun intended) from the control of the person being raped. Watching, looking at porn gives the rapist little control of the person on the screen in front of them.

 

[Pure]

if rape--at least some rapes-- were not about sex (also; ie. among other things), but simply power (alone), you would still have to account for the choice of sexual intercourse: there are lots of ways to show 'power over' and humiliate; some muggers administer extra beatings, make the person beg, make the person eat shit or watch his dog being killed.

also, zeb, if the data are solid, and watching porn and jerking off reduces rape, that undercuts the 'rape is about power [alone]' theory.

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PS. I want to add one caution I feel. We're talking the 'usual' webporn which show consent or Literotica style non consent. I think films--some, perhaps on the 'net-- which show actual brutal sex crimes, with gratification and no punishment *possibly* have an encouraging effect. Why, because a sexual brutality was involved in this (hypothetical) film or photo. Someone is thus, perhaps, commiting a crime to be able to sell the film or photos on the 'net; hence there is, in one way, more crime *for this particular case.*

 

[KINDGIRL]

You are all forgetting that rape has nothing to do with sex! Rape is not about sex, it's about control. The sexual gratification comes (no pun intended) from the control of the person being raped. Watching, looking at porn gives the rapist little control of the person on the screen in front of them.

YUUP YUP ITA with this!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

if rape--at least some rapes-- were not about sex (also; ie. among other things), but simply power (alone), you would still have to account for the choice of sexual intercourse: there are lots of ways to show 'power over' and humiliate; some muggers administer extra beatings, make the person beg, make the person eat shit or watch his dog being killed.

also, zeb, if the data are solid, and watching porn and jerking off reduces rape, that undercuts the 'rape is about power [alone]' theory.

It’s about power over women. That fact has been proven time and again over the years.

So rape is down and just because porn is prevalent at the time that rapes have subsided, it's porn that reduced rape?

Could it also be that the causes which create a rapist have also gone by the wayside?

 

[shereads]

I look at a lot of porn and I haven't even considered raping anyone. Can't confirm whether the two are connected.

 

[Pure]

zeb on rape It’s about power over women. That fact has been proven time and again over the years.

that's odd, since men get raped.

would you mind citing one bit of objective 'proof' of this? (please don't recycle Andrea Dworkin; she was a novelist).

are you saying that there is NEVER an element of sexual gratification?

 

[cantdog]

It may be like elephant repellent.

I go through a fair amount of 'net porn, and I don't rape.

So there's one! In one instance, it prevented rape! I think if we took a poll, we'd discover that we can rack up a pretty good rape preventative score.

Not to mention that there are no elephants, so it repels elephants, too.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Has anyone thought that after masturbating to internet porn for hours one is much to tired to go out and rape?

 

[Pure]

right on, jenny; sometimes i'm too tired to climb the stairs! also, if your hand, wrist and arm muscles are tied in a knot, or turned to jelly, it's damn hard to put the key in the ignition, not to say go and rape someone.

 

[shereads]

zeb on rape It’s about power over women. That fact has been proven time and again over the years.

that's odd, since men get raped.

would you mind citing one bit of objective 'proof' of this? (please don't recycle Andrea Dworkin; she was a novelist).

are you saying that there is NEVER an element of sexual gratification?

I don't think it's a question of whether sexual gratification is part of the rapist's experience; the point is that sexual gratification isn't sufficient motive for rape. If it were, everyone who needs sex and lacks a willing partner would be a potential rapist. And 80-year-old rape victims would be accused of asking for it by dressing or behaving in a provocative way.

 

[shereads]

It may be like elephant repellent.

I go through a fair amount of 'net porn, and I don't rape.

So there's one! In one instance, it prevented rape! I think if we took a poll, we'd discover that we can rack up a pretty good rape preventative score.

Not to mention that there are no elephants, so it repels elephants, too.

True. It's also worth noting that there hasn't been a single terrorist attack inside the United States since I began looking at internet porn.

 

[Dr_Strabismus]

I've raped exactly the same number of women both before and after I had access to web porn.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

zeb on rape It’s about power over women. That fact has been proven time and again over the years.

that's odd, since men get raped.

would you mind citing one bit of objective 'proof' of this? (please don't recycle Andrea Dworkin; she was a novelist).

are you saying that there is NEVER an element of sexual gratification?

As most rapists are men I was talking of generalities.

Talk to any cop, if you dare, they will tell you what motivates a rapist.

There is sometimes sexual gratification but not always. Sometimes the rapist will take a trophy to use later in the gratification phase.

This is the concensus of pyscologists across the country.

Common Myths of Sexual Assault back to top

MYTH: If there is no weapon or physical abuse involved, it is not really rape.

FACT: There does not have to be a weapon or physical abuse involved for it to be rape. Rapists may use threats of abuse or coercion to rape.


MYTH: Most sexual assault victims do not know their assailant.

FACT: Most rapes are committed by someone the victim knows.


MYTH: Most people who are victims of sexual assault tell someone immediately.

FACT: Most people do not immediately tell and most rapes go unreported to the police.


MYTH: Immediately after a rape a victim is usually hysterical.

FACT: After being raped or sexually assaulted, victims may have a range of emotions from hysterically crying to being absolutely numb. However someone responds is okay. People deal with things in different ways and should not be judged based on how society perceives someone should act after being raped or sexually assaulted.


MYTH: Men are never raped.

FACT: While women are raped at a much higher rate than men, men can and are raped as well.


MYTH: The primary motivation of rape is sexual.

FACT: Rape is an act of violence where sex is used as the weapon. Rape occurs in a situation where one person has power over another and finds this satisfying.


MYTH: It is okay to force someone to have sex with you if they lead you on.

FACT: It is NEVER okay to have sex with someone against their will, regardless of what they did or said prior to the attack.


MYTH: If you are raped, always submit, never fight back physically.

FACT: Whatever you do to survive is appropriate. Some people may fight back. This is a judgement call and you must do whatever you feel safest doing.


MYTH: If a person hitchhikes, goes out alone after dark, dresses or acts sexy, they are asking to be raped.

FACT: Those are high-risk situations. However, no one ever deserves to be raped no matter how they dress or act. It is never the victim's fault.


MYTH: Husbands cannot rape their wives.

FACT: Anytime a man has sex with a woman when she does not want it, it is rape, regardless of whether or not they are married. This is a crime in Virginia.

Link.

 

[S-Des]

You are all forgetting that rape has nothing to do with sex! Rape is not about sex, it's about control. The sexual gratification comes (no pun intended) from the control of the person being raped. Watching, looking at porn gives the rapist little control of the person on the screen in front of them.

Sorry Zeb, I think you are very wrong. This isn't a generality, you are stating a fact (i.e. Rape has nothing to do with sex). Date rape is almost always about sex, with the man wanting it so bad, he pushes his partner past what she wanted to do. Straight rape is about power, but there is a large element of sex involved as well.

As to Pure's post about showing caution because of the "nice" rapes...Lit has some pretty nasty stuff on it, in case you haven't read all of it. Try reading Abducted by Chris44. It was about kidnapping, torture, group rape, and training a woman for a life in white slavery (while videotaping it and then showing it to her parents). The Japanese movies I was referring to are anything but tame, yet the rate of rapes in Japan is very low (even taking into account the societal pressures that might prevent women from coming forward). Even if watching these doesn't prevent rape, it obviously doesn't do much to encourage them.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Sorry Zeb, I think you are very wrong. This isn't a generality, you are stating a fact (i.e. Rape has nothing to do with sex). Date rape is almost always about sex, with the man wanting it so bad, he pushes his partner past what she wanted to do. Straight rape is about power, but there is a large element of sex involved as well.

As to Pure's post about showing caution because of the "nice" rapes...Lit has some pretty nasty stuff on it, in case you haven't read all of it. Try reading Abducted by Chris44. It was about kidnapping, torture, group rape, and training a woman for a life in white slavery (while videotaping it and then showing it to her parents). The Japanese movies I was referring to are anything but tame, yet the rate of rapes in Japan is very low (even taking into account the societal pressures that might prevent women from coming forward). Even if watching these doesn't prevent rape, it obviously doesn't do much to encourage them.

I'm sorry but you're wrong about the whole thing...

MYTH: The primary motivation of rape is sexual.

FACT: Rape is an act of violence where sex is used as the weapon. Rape occurs in a situation where one person has power over another and finds this satisfying.

And non-consent is not my cup of tea.

 

[Pure]

to zeb and s des

sorry zeb, 'ask a cop' doesn't cut it, for proof. ask a cop what he thinks about bearded flower children's gatherings' to protest logging.

the 'myths and facts' are a publicity tool. i asked about proof.

in the sheet you reproduce, besides the alleged fact about power as the main motive, consider this clunker:

FACT: Anytime a man has sex with a woman when she does not want it, it is rape,

horse pucky

---
Good points, S des, Literotica's nonconsent category has some very brutal, and non-enjoyed events, not just the mythical, "Don't! Stop! Don't Stop!" kind. Look at 'Restaurant Nightmare.'

However I don't think Lit should avoid stories with violence and true non consent, but the intermixing probably shocks a few people.

PS On Japan, those are good points. i posted a link, a while back, to a study analyzing Japanese data. it appears true that violent-rape imaginings in their cartoons, etc. do not cause the Japanese to rape; presumably it's just a fantasy outlet, like Western guys watching James Bond. It's to be noted that the Japanese are *VERY* nonviolent in their social mores.

NOTE: I don't quite agree with your statement:
Date rape is almost always about sex, with the man wanting it so bad**, he pushes his partner past what she wanted to do.

I've wanted it bad, but didn't rape. I would add, at ** AND FEELING ENTITLED TO IT

 

[Zeb_Carter]

sorry zeb, 'ask a cop' doesn't cut it, for proof. ask a cop what he thinks about bearded flower children's gatherings' to protest logging.

the 'myths and facts' are a publicity tool. i asked about proof.

in the sheet you reproduce, besides the alleged fact about power as the main motive, consider this clunker:

FACT: Anytime a man has sex with a woman when she does not want it, it is rape,

horse pucky

---
Good points, S des, Literotica's nonconsent category has some very brutal, and non-enjoyed events, not just the mythical, "Don't! Stop! Don't Stop!" kind. Look at 'Restaurant Nightmare.'

However I don't think Lit should avoid stories with violence and true non consent, but the intermixing probably shocks a few people.

Why you pig...so if she says "No!" to you before you get your stiffy in her and you still put it in, you don't think that's rape?

Well according to the law it is and you will be arrested and tried for that. Whether you are convicted is another question unless there are witnesses.

If she/he says "NO!" and you continue, it's RAPE.

 

[Pure]

zeb, you sweetiepuss, you must read carefully,

zeb If she/he says "NO!" and you continue, it's RAPE.

P: This claim may be generally true. But the statement you reproduced, said,

FACT: Anytime a man has sex with a woman when she does not want it, it is rape,

P: There was no mention of her saying or indicating anything (and i'm sure that's intentional on the part of the biased writer).

---
Zeb
Why you pig...so if she says "No!" to you before you get your stiffy in her and you still put it in, you don't think that's rape?

Well according to the law it is and you will be arrested and tried for that. Whether you are convicted is another question unless there are witnesses.

If she/he says "NO!" and you continue, it's RAPE.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Mmmm...Proof?

Would a study done at the University of Ohio suit you?

Take a look at the questions at the end of the study. Note the percentage of test takers that got the answer correct.

If you don't know the correct answers your self, then you better do some research on the subject.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

zeb, you sweetiepuss, you must read carefully,

zeb If she/he says "NO!" and you continue, it's RAPE.

P: This claim may be generally true. But the statement you reproduced, said,

FACT: Anytime a man has sex with a woman when she does not want it, it is rape,

P: There was no mention of her saying or indicating anything (and i'm sure that's intentional on the part of the biased writer).

---
Zeb
Why you pig...so if she says "No!" to you before you get your stiffy in her and you still put it in, you don't think that's rape?

Well according to the law it is and you will be arrested and tried for that. Whether you are convicted is another question unless there are witnesses.

If she/he says "NO!" and you continue, it's RAPE.

If she doesn't want to have sex with him, it's rape. How would you expect her to indicate that she doesn't want to have sex with him? Put a sign on her legs that says "No Entry" - your such an ass it's beyond belief.